I don't really like the bodyguard job beside Tyler's new wife. I really think that the newlyweds are overreacting Jazz's parents' reaction of their daughter's marriage. I also think that the local doctor is exaggerating things. We don't live such an era to make our beloved ones suffering, or killing them, because they don't behave like the parents want to. But so be it. I am going to the hospital to a nightwatch. Andrew is also on duty tonight, so I could meet him, if I want. So basically, I don't really mind this work.
Our new family member is immersed in the play with Erica, when I arrive to her room. They are playing with cards. Of course. What else would Erica play? Although neither of them seems to enjoy the game, which is not a difficult one. They are playing makao, the simplest game is played by rummy cards.
"Dame!" cries Erica cheerfully, when she sees me.
It definitely seems a relief for her to stop playing. Interesting. Erica loves playing cards, and never let a single chance to play with them. Judging by the amount of the cards in Jazz's hand, Erica would win this round, so it isn't fairly understandable why she is so happy to stop the game.
"Hello girls!" I smirk at them. "How are you?" I ask the younger girl.
"I am well." She says shortly.
Silence. I am used to the girls' lot of speaking at home, but Jazz doesn't speak further. Just states the fact.
"She has been talkative like this, during the whole day." Erica informs me in bitter voice.
So that's why Erica has a face, like she would bite into a sour apple! She really likes talking, but Jazz doesn't seems to be a talkative one. I could sharply imagine, how the day went for them. Erica could speak a lot, but sooner or later she is running out of topics.
"Do you have a sore throat?"
Jazz shakes her head. She doesn't say a word.
"At least with the cards you have had fun!" I try to ease the mood.
Erica doesn't appreciate my efforts. She is definitely in bad mood. She's not even trying to hide. The new family member's mood is not readable to me yet. Jazz is too new to me, but she looks like an abandoned child.
"So you can't play with cards." I sigh, as I look at her. She shakes her head again.
"I am sorry." She says in weak voice.
"I have told you several times, that don't say you're sorry!" cries Erica.
Jazz could sense some danger in Erica's voice, so she decides to be in silence again. She puts down the cards. No, she doesn't crying, but her irises looks definitely bigger with the withheld tears.
"Tyler sent you a new pair of pajamas. Do you want to change? Erica could help you."
"No." The mentioned person protests. "Help her yourself. And if she has already taken off her top, look at her spine as well."
"What's the matter with her spine?"
"She has scoliosis. You's better treat that before you start the training." Erica grunts out. "I am going to find Andrew. Those X-ray pictures should have been ready."
She is storming out of the room, before I could ask anything more.
"Come, I help you to change, and examine your spine."
I turn to Jazz, and I offer her a hand, but that girl is not willing take the offer. She tries to cover herself totally with the blanket. I didn't expect such a reaction. Then I finally figure out the reason for her behavior.
"I suppose Erica didn't say a word about me."
Jazz shakes her head again. I'm slowly starting to fear that a lot of shaking head will get her a concussion.
"I am Dame. Damian Wright. Dame is just a nickname, and I am used to it, so call me Dame. I am a taekwondo master. Sometimes I accept jobs with Tyler in movies, as a stuntman. And yes. I am in charge of the gardening section of The Anchorage." I smile, as Jazz gazes at my dirty nails. "My nails are always dirty because of the works on the fields. I got a lot of nailbrush from the other, you will see them everywhere in the house. But it is mission impossible to clean my nails until winter."
Jazz seems relaxed a bit.
"I also learned therapeutic massage, so I give massage to the family, when it is needed."
Jazz is just watching me, and doesn't say a word. I slowly recognize, why Erica became so angry. Jazz is unresponsive, but her eyes are like she had lived hundreds of years. She is exactly like the hillbilly people. Not too talkative, but her eyes shows, that she is constantly collecting information about her environment and people around her. She doesn't ready to judge us yet, so that's why she is in silence.
"I would like to take a look at your spine."
"No." Short and decisive refusal.
"Should we wait for Erica, to chaperon us?"
"NO."
Another refusal.
"Why?"
"I don't want to."
"Why?"
"Why are you so eager to watch me naked?"
"I am not eager to watch you naked. I am not interested in naked women either."
"Heee?" She shakes her head again, but this time I think she has to put the information to the right place.
"Why do you think others call me Dame?"
Her eyes show, the she has already realized, but doesn't dare enough to ask about her suspicion.
"I am a gay." I laugh at her. There's something to laugh about. "Jazz, your head is beet red!"
"Are you amazed? It's not such an ordinary thing to just throw someone in your face to be a gay."
"So, now that we've clarified that I don't care about your reproductive organs, can we go change?"
She slowly nods. I help her to stand up, she is a bit shaky.
"OK. Hold on to the edge of the sink!"
She obeys my command, and I help her to put on the pajama bottom.
"Let's see your back!" I take the hospital gown off her. She doesn't protest. "Tell me, if something hurts!"
I start to examine her back. Erica was right, Jazz has a slight scoliosis. I knead through her back and find a lot of stuck muscles. These muscles are the reasons why her spine is distorted a bit. But why did she hold herself that way?
"What did you do during the summer?"
She is in silence again.
"Did you work something?"
"No."
"You held you body in a strange posture for a long time, so I thought, you worked beside a conveyor belt."
"I was basically lying on my side during the holiday." She says quietly. Since I don't react her words, she continues. "I went through a small depression phase."
Damn! I shouldn't have to ask her. Andrew warned me, that she had a nervous breakdown, but I wouldn't thought, that it had antecedent.
"It is good, that you are over the depression. In The Anchorage, you won't have time having depression. We are full with work, and we need your help very much."
"With the horses?"
"No. With the housework and cooking. Don't worry! You will quickly get stronger and your spine will recover. And then the real training can come! We are looking forward to working with you!"
"Really?" She asks, and turns to me. She covers herself with her arms, and I realize, why she was depressed during the summer. Her left arm is thinner, that her right one. I don't want her to be embarrassed by her nakedness, so I pull the pajama top over her head.
"Really."
"Why?"
"We usually work with people, who take martial arts lessons as a hobby. If you got someone, who want to be a professional fighter is a very refreshing thing. We don't have to pamper you, we could easily drive the soul out of you!"
I laugh, and Jazz is laughing with me. Good sign. She sends me out of the bathroom, and I fulfill her wish. She needed to use the toilet, so it could be awkward to be with her. After she finished washing her hands, I go back, and accompany her back to the bed.
"Do you have flowers in the gardens?" She asks.
"Sorry, we don't really have flowers, but the meadows are full with flowers. Do you like flowers?"
She nods, but doesn't say more. It seems I have to ask. This conversation style could have exhausted Erica during the day. But there's no problem. Jazz will be sleeping at night. We don't have to talk too much.
"There are a lot of free land, so we could plant flower in the spring. Which flower do you want to plant?"
"Daffodils."
Daffodils. I wanted to laugh at her, but I suppress the feeling, because Jazz's tongue is finally resolved. She is talking about the daffodils in her father's garden. I pick up my smartphone, and search for the available daffodils. We choosing flowers by picture. There are a lot of types, so both of us is surprised, and hardly could choose. At the tenth one Jazz looks at me a little anxiously.
"Would it be too much?"
"Don't worry, the hillside is big enough to plant all of them!"
We're both immersed in the selection again.